So, you’ve booked a flight with Norwegian. Great choice—they have some of the coolest tail-fin heroes in the sky and generally reliable service. But then you start looking at the fine print for your suitcase. Honestly, it’s a bit of a maze. If you just assume "carry-on is free" like the old days, you’re likely going to get hit with a nasty fee at the boarding gate.
Norwegian has basically pioneered the "unbundled" fare system in Europe. This means your ticket price is low because you're essentially paying for a seat and a tiny bit of floor space under the chair in front of you. Anything more? That’ll cost you.
Let's break down the norwegian airline baggage rules so you don't end up paying more for your bag than you did for your actual flight.
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The Underseat Bag: Your Only "True" Freebie
Every single passenger, regardless of how cheap their ticket was, gets to bring one small underseat bag. That’s it.
The dimensions are pretty strict: 30 x 20 x 38 cm. If you're more of an imperial units person, that’s roughly 15 x 7.9 x 11.8 inches. It has to fit under the seat in front of you. Think of it as a small backpack, a laptop bag, or a very slim tote.
Here’s where it gets tricky. If you bought a LowFare ticket, this is your entire cabin allowance. You don’t get an overhead bin bag. If you show up with a standard rolling carry-on and a LowFare ticket, the gate agents—who are trained to spot these things—will likely stop you. They'll charge you a "gate bag" fee, which can be as high as $50 or $100 depending on whether you’re flying direct or connecting.
Basically, if you didn't pay for it in advance, don't try to sneak it on.
Moving Up: LowFare+ and Flex
If you want that overhead bin space, you need to be on a LowFare+ or Flex ticket. Or, you can pay a separate fee to add a "cabin bag" to your LowFare booking.
- LowFare+: You get the underseat bag PLUS one overhead cabin bag (55 x 40 x 23 cm).
- Flex: You get the same two bags, but with a more generous weight limit.
Wait, the weight limit is the real kicker. For LowFare+, your two bags combined—yes, combined—cannot exceed 10 kg. That’s about 22 lbs. If you have a heavy leather backpack and a rolling suitcase, you’re going to hit that limit fast. Flex tickets give you a bit more breathing room with a 15 kg combined limit.
Pro Tip: If you're flying to or from Dubai, the rules change slightly due to weight restrictions on those specific aircraft. Your total hand baggage weight is capped at 8 kg. Don't ask me why; it's just the rule.
What About Checked Bags?
Most people assume a suitcase is a suitcase. But Norwegian looks at the weight and the fare class very carefully.
If you're on LowFare, you get zero checked bags.
If you're on LowFare+, you get one bag up to 23 kg (50 lbs).
If you're on Flex, you get two bags, each up to 23 kg.
If your bag is 24 kg, you aren't just "a little bit over." You're into excess weight territory. Norwegian charges roughly $15-$16 per kilo, per leg. If you’re flying from London to Oslo and then Oslo to Bangkok, that one extra kilo is going to cost you twice.
Also, keep an eye on the physical size. The maximum dimensions for a checked bag are 250 x 79 x 112 cm, with a maximum circumference of 300 cm. It’s pretty generous, but if you’re hauling a giant trunk, bring a tape measure.
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Special Equipment and "The Musical Instrument" Loophole
Norwegian is actually surprisingly chill about musical instruments, provided they aren't huge. You can bring a small instrument (like a violin or a flute) instead of your carry-on bag. It can even be a bit longer than a standard bag—up to 90 x 35 x 20 cm—as long as it doesn't exceed the weight limit for your ticket.
For sports gear, it’s almost always better to book it online at least 4 hours before your flight.
- Skis and Snowboards: You can usually bring one bag for the boards/skis and one for the boots, combined into one "item" fee (max 23 kg).
- Bikes: These must be in a hard case or a dedicated bike box. Handlebars turned, pedals off, tires deflated.
If you show up at the airport with a surfboard you didn't tell them about, be prepared to pay $60 or more on the spot.
The Duty-Free "Bonus"
Here is one tiny bit of good news: Norwegian allows you to bring one airport shopping bag in addition to your hand baggage allowance.
This is a lifesaver. If your backpack is slightly over the 10 kg limit, you can "technically" buy something at the duty-free shop and use that bag to distribute some weight. Just don't make it look obvious that you're carrying a lead brick in a Toblerone bag.
Summary of Actionable Steps
Don't let the fees ruin your vacation. Follow this checklist:
- Check your ticket type immediately. If it says LowFare, you have NO overhead bin space. Buy it now on the app; it’s half the price of doing it at the gate.
- Weigh your carry-on at home. 10 kg is less than you think. If you're at 11 kg, wear your heaviest jacket and put your camera around your neck.
- Measure your "underseat" bag. They have metal sizer boxes at the airport. If your bag doesn't slide in easily, the agent has the right to charge you.
- Book extras at least 6 hours before departure. This is the cutoff for the "online price." After that, you're paying the "airport price," which is significantly higher.
- Use Norwegian Reward. If you fly them often, you can actually use your "CashPoints" to pay for baggage fees, which feels a lot better than using real money.
The airline is strict because their business model depends on it. They want to turn planes around in 30 minutes, and they can't do that if everyone is struggling with oversized bags in the aisles. Pack smart, follow the dimensions, and you'll be fine.